Defense, special teams push DWU past Concordia

MITCHELL, S.D. – The Dakota Wesleyan University football team took another huge step to the Tigers' first NAIA playoff appearance in 23 years with a hard-fought 17-10 Great Plains Athletic Conference win over Concordia University Saturday at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D.

The game was the home finale for the Tigers in 2015, with 15 seniors being honored prior to the opening kickoff. The senior class holds the record for wins over a four-year span with 29 after the victory over the Bulldogs.

The win was not pretty, with DWU mustering just 157 yards of total offense. The Tiger defense and special teams stepped up, forcing six Concordia turnovers, while junior Dustin Livingston (Irene, S.D.) returned a punt 52 yards in the fourth quarter for the game-winning score.

The win puts No. 18 DWU at 8-2 overall and 6-2 in the GPAC. With one week left in the regular season, the Tigers will need to jump a few spots in the polls to be invited to the NAIA postseason for the first time since 1992.

The game started with each team failing to get anything going on offense. Concordia broke the ice with a 14-play, 87-yard drive capped off by a 24-yard touchdown run from standout running back Bryce Collins.

After a DWU three-and-out on the ensuing possession, a Daniel Porter punt hit a member of the Bulldog coverage team and was recovered by senior Zach Thiel (Powell, Wyo.), who was playing in his final game in front of the home fans. The recovery set DWU up at the Concordia 38-yard line.

Concordia committed a personal foul to move DWU into the red zone and on the next play, sophomore quarterback Dillon Turner (Salem, Ark.) hit Livingston for a 17-yard touchdown pass to even the score.

Following another Concordia turnover to again set up DWU inside of the Concordia 40-yard line, the Tigers moved into field-goal range. Porter (Plattsmouth, Neb.) hit his ninth field goal of the season, this time from 25-yards out, to put DWU on top 10-7 heading into the half.

The Bulldogs looked set to retake the lead after a 62-yard pass from quarterback Garrett Folchert to Trae Owens down to the Tiger 3-yard line. The Tiger defense put up a wall and held the Bulldogs out of the end zone, forcing a field goal from Adam Meirose from 19 yards to tie the score.

The tie remained in effect until the fourth quarter. Concordia was forced to punt from its own end zone and Livingston and the DWU return unit did the rest. He received the punt at his own 48-yard line on the near side. After reversing the field and picking a pair of tough blocks, Livingston took off down the sideline for the score.

The Tigers sustained their longest drive in terms of time of possession their next time out, chewing up over five minutes of the game clock. The drive stalled and Concordia took possession with three minutes to play and a chance to tie the score. Fifteen plays later, Concordia found itself with a fourth down at the DWU 16-yard line with four seconds to play.

With the DWU playoff hopes on the line, Thiel came up huge again, breaking up the pass on the game's final play sending the team and the Tiger faithful in attendance into a frenzy.

The Bulldogs committed six turnovers in the game, with Folchert tossing three interceptions and the team fumbling the ball away three times. Concordia posted 367 yards of total offense, to 157 from DWU, but the Tigers turned the ball over just once.

The defense was the story for DWU on Saturday, and the unit was led by junior Adam Bormann (Stickney, S.D.) with 11 tackles. Senior Brady Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) continued his strong play of late with nine tackles, including one tackle for loss and an interception, while junior Brady Mudder (Garretson, S.D.) added eight tackles, five for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. Sophomore safety Charlie LaRoche (Lower Brule, S.D.) picked up nine tackles, while junior Cody Bonte (Garretson, S.D.) added six tackles and an interception return for 31 yards.

The offense was stagnant for DWU with Turner finishing 8-for-28 for 67 yards and a touchdown, while adding 16 carries for 22 yards. Freshman running back Jonathon Withrow (Kimball, Neb.) carried the ball 22 times for 55 yards.

DWU closes the 2015 regular season against Dordt College at 1 p.m. Saturday in Sioux City, Iowa. The Defenders are 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the GPAC this season.